Due to a deteriorating pay dispute, Royal Mail delivery personnel in the United Kingdom went on a 48-hour strike on Friday. Postal deliveries were impacted nationwide as a result of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) members’ walkout.
Amid protracted disagreements in other industries, the union said that the walkout by around 115,000 of its members is the largest strike of the year. There was no indication of any breakthrough during the Thursday meetings between the two parties. According to reports, the union is preparing to increase its industrial action in the following weeks.
Another further 19 days of strikes are scheduled to occur on various days in October and November, marking a substantial uptick in the conflict. The general secretary of the CWU, Dave Ward, was quoted by Al Jazeera as saying, ‘This is a huge announcement, but it is one that fits the level of fury our members feel at the way Royal Mail Group has handled them’.
‘Postal workers are being treated like idiots by the Royal Mail Group CEO. These are the same people who have maintained national connectivity and helped Royal Mail Group achieve record profits’, the president claimed. The financial position of the company and the members’ job security will be affected by the CWU’s action, according to a representative for Royal Mail.
Royal Mail loses one million pounds ($1.1 million) per day. ‘Our customers have options, and we operate in a competitive market. Our clients will have to make such decisions sooner rather than later if there is continued strike action’, the official said.
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